I have been working with the RH X5 for a long time but a
couple of days ago when starting a project, I got a Windows
installer window instead. It was trying to install something for
about an hour but then said: can't connect to the server. Whar
server? whar was it trying to install? I tried to reinstall the
product several times but the result is always the same - installer
window hanging:(
Any idea what can help? Would really appreciate your help

Just a hunch. Do you have the "Automatically check for
updates" option set and you are not using the latest patch build
5.0.2 Build 801? In this case RH is trying to download the latest
build but fails as RH still tries to access the Macromedia website.
Turn this option off and manually download the said patch from the
Adobe website.

no, I'm not using it across a server or network.
I reinstalled it several times already with no success. I
tried to install an earlier X3 version and launched it successfully
but then installed X5 and again saw that Windows Installer window:(
The task manager doesn't say much to me either:(

Your installation of RH X5 probably has some default settings
regarding "Automatically check for updates" (under Tools >
Options, General tab). If you are running RH5 Office, this setting
is in TWO places, not one. You need to launch each executable (not
at the same time) and deselect the update option in each.

To find your program installation path, right click on your
launch icon then click on "Properties". The path is in the "Target"
box.

I believe the default path is under "Program Files" but I'm
not certain as I install to the path I want, not what Macromedia
thought was best for me. Anyway, use Windows Explorer to find the
RoboHelp installation directory. But first make sure you set
Windows Explorer to see what we need to see - forget the Microsoft
default settings as they don't know what is best for you.

Thank you All for the help and advice. Really hope that
finally I'll make it work.
Regarding the Windows Installer updates, unfortunately it
didn't help either. I upgraded to version 3.1, cleaned up all temp
directories, tried several methods proposed on msn page - but still
have this never-ending windows installer.
When I installing the RH, none of the Word versions it
proposes to choose is applicable to me (XP, 2003, and 97). I have
2003. I use the default XP selection and say Ok to install the
product whereas a proper version of Word is not installed. Probably
this windows installer is trying to install Word XP on my machine?
Though, when installing RH X3 version I have the same situation
with Word and RH is installed and launched with no problem. I'm
lost:(

I would never advise installing Word after RoboHelp if you
plan to import from Word or use printed documentation. What Linux
Rules has suggested is OK for the purposes of installing RoboHelp
but not if you use Word with RoboHelp.

quote:
Originally posted by:
Peter GraingeI would never advise installing Word after RoboHelp if you
plan to import from Word or use printed documentation. What Linux
Rules has suggested is OK for the purposes of installing RoboHelp
but not if you use Word with RoboHelp.

Hello Peter -

True, one should not install Word after RH but we found an
upgrade to Word (Office), as opposed to a fresh install of Word,
does work for RH.

As I said, we do not use Word with RH, only that Word is
required to install RH.

Peter,
the section on Word 2003 in yur article is mainly addressed
to the audience who wants to use Word with RH and can't do that for
some reasons. My situation is bit different. I just can't launch
the product (specifically, RoboHTML). I already tried to install
SP2 but it didn't help and that stubborn windows installer pops up
anyway:(
I wasn't sure that Word was the problem since initially when
i was installing x5 with Word 2003, it got installed with no
problem. But now I'm ready to use any option. So, probably I should
try to follow Linux Rules advice and install Word 2000...

I'm not convinced this is a RH issue rather than some glitch
with your PC to do with the installer. I believe that can happen if
your profile has become corrupted or changed. Might be worth
checking with IT.

However given it could be anything here's what I would do.

1] Uninstall RH as per the link Colum gave you. It's also in
the topic on my site.

2] Install Word 2000.

3] Install RH.

4] Check RH works.

Dependent on what you need to do with RH, decide if you want
to go for Word 2003. If you do:

5] Install Word 2003.

6] Run RH. In theory it should not work but I have seen it
work OK.

7] If it does not work, then uninstall RH and reinstall it
including the patches.

8] Check RH works.

Please post back how it goes. It's like watching a serial and
we now want to know "who dunnit?"

No, it's not. Thank you for the compliment:)
Not sure about language selections... Never experienced
problems with it.
I'm afraid your guess about the corrupted system profile
could be true:( Trying to check it now with IT.

I was teasing about "close". Don't know if you have seen the
video The Wrong Way Round where Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman
travel from England on motorbikes to the US but via Russia. The
statistic that stuck in my mind is that it takes two weeks by train
from Moscow to Vladivostock.

May I ask where you are in Russia? It's always nice to know
where people are.

Assuming you have Word 2003 previously installed, you
uninstalled RH and cleaned up the registry, and you launched the RH
installer . . .

My recollection is that RH looks for Word on your hard drive
and offers to use that version. Since it's not finding Word 2003,
maybe there's a conflict among language options used for
installation of Win XP, Word 2003 and RH (I forget when RH asks for
a language preference).

Do you have a small icon in the taskbar at bottom right that
displays the current language?

I tried to install RH on a different system (with Word 2003
as well), and it got installed and launched with no problem. So, I
suspect Peter was right and my profile got corrupted. So, I decided
to reinstall the system and install RH again.

Hi!
This is me again with the same problem:( I've been working
with the RH on a new system for 3 weeks and today I got that
Windows Installer window again!
No idea what could have happened:( When I installed RH on my
new system, I unchecked the 'Automatical update' option for all
Robo tools. What is it going to install now - no idea... Shall I go
through all these steps again - cleaning up the registry,
reinstalling the product?.. I did it before with no success. Don't
know what to do:(